8.31.2013

It looks like Bundle Monster will be releasing another new set of plates this year, this time with fan determined designs! Previews will start on Sept. 3 and go until until mid/late September when the plates are available for purchase. I can't wait to see what images the plates will include! Like the Bundle Monster Facebook page to be able to see the designs as they are revealed. :)

8.30.2013

I know these are nothing new to the polish world, but they are new to me! The Sally Hansen Sugar Coat line is my first creme texture polish experience. I have to say they are quite different from the glittery versions, which I can say that I prefer to these. I can still appreciate these ones though! Let's take a look:

First is Sour Apple, a minty green.

Bubble Plum, an almost pastel purple/magenta.

Cherry Drop, a bright, true red.

Laughie Taffy, a deep navy blue.

Gummy Grape, a dark purple.

Spare-a-Mint?, a bright teal.

Sugar Fix, a pure white.

These are just a few selections from the creme line, so if you like these there are more to be had! :) The formula for these was about the same for all, 2 coats, pretty easy to apply. The texture effect makes itself more apparent the longer they dry.

I feel like most people either love or hate texture polishes. Which side of the fence are you on?

8.29.2013

I had my first experience with flocking powder recently. I know it's nothing new in the nail world, but I had never got around to trying it until now! It's definitely an unconventional way to do your nails and I think that's what makes it so fun. I kept it simple with a bright pink powder.

The powder pieces are so tiny that they stay really well and create just a thin fuzzy layer on the nail that doesn't get in the way of everyday tasks.

This is the set I used from Born Pretty Store. The application method is super easy and not as messy as it might seem. I applied a matching pink polish (Zoya Lara) one nail at a time uand quickly added bunches of the flocking powder with the tweezer tool that came in the set. Once the nail was covered really well, I used the small brush to lightly sweep away the excess onto a piece of paper. The powder only stuck to the wet polish and not my skin so clean up was really easy! Once I was all done, I dumped the excess powder on my paper back into the jar!

Have you guys ever tried flocking powder before?

Again, you can find all kinds of flocking powder sets on the Born Pretty site. Use my code AMG10 to get an extra 10% off your order!

8.28.2013

So, I have a fun review for you today! I feature nail strips every once in a while here on the blog but I don't buy them very often mostly because I don't have very good luck with them. However, that was not the case with these strips from OMG Nail Strips...I had a really easy time with these which was refreshing!

These come with a plastic coating on top that is peeled off right before application. They are pretty sturdy, not too thin (I had this issue with the Incoco strips) but not so thick that they don't meld with the nail easily. My nails are very rounded so I require pretty wide strips to be able to get my nail fully covered. I did have a hard time getting a perfect fit for all of my nails but I could have done some trimming on the biggest strip to get a custom fit but I was afraid that would look even worse. haha

The strips applied very smoothly, very minimal bubble issues and no folding or creasing at the sides (big plus for me!).

I tried 2 designs, each applied just as easily as the other. You can find this design *here*.

I trimmed my nails down a little before putting on these strips. Thus the difference. haha I liked these ones a lot, very simple but fun. This design can be found *here*.

I wore these stripey ones for about 3 days and they still looked pretty good...I could have squeezed out a few more days wear if I wanted to.

I would recommend these nail strips not only for the quality, ease of use, and large design selection, but for the price as well. One set will only set you back $6.89, which is cheaper than what most other strips go for. If you really want a good deal on these OMG Nail stickers, right now you can get 4 for $20 with coupon code “4pack” and 10 for $45 with coupon code “10pack”!Also, you can find OMG Nail Strips on Facebook and Instagram!

Tell me your thoughts on these stickers! Do you plan to give them a try?

8.26.2013

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Each new week means I'm that much closer to having my baby and I'm getting more and more nervous and excited! I have a little less than 4 weeks to go!

Anyway, I have half of Sally Hansen's latest Insta-Dri collection for fall to show you today. I have always loved the Insta-Dri line so I am excited for these!

First is Pink Fast. This is a metallic pink foil in one easy coat. Love how bright this one is!

No S-pear Time is a light olive green...sort of a mix between a metallic and a foil. I can't say that I have a green quite like this one...very pretty. This is 2 coats.

Next up is Chop Chop Copper. This is the enigma of the collection for me...actually the entire Insta-Dri line. We all know that these are great for stamping because they are nearly one coaters with a slightly thicker formula. However, Chop Chop Copper is SUPER thin. One coat could be a shimmer top coat over another color. Below is 4 coats. I definitely think the color is gorgeous, I just found it strange that the formula was so different from what the rest of the Insta-Dri line is all about. Check out the pink shimmer/glitter in here! Makes it very sparkly!

And the final polish from this half of the collection is Red-io Active. This is 2 coats and it practically glows! This is a bright red shimmer with an orange undertone that makes it really stand out. Lovely!

I hope to get the other half of this collection soon because I definitely am happy with these all of these shades!

8.24.2013

It's defnitely been a busy day for me today. Just when I think life can't get any busier it does and next thing I know my day is practically over. ;)

Anyway, I have a new indie brand to share with you today! The name is Tawdry Terrier. My package came so carefully and thoughtfully wrapped, there was no question that the polishes were going to be intact once I opened them. Look how cute!

Each polish came individually wrapped in tissue paper and then put in a cute box labeled as you can see below.

A little sneak peek...ready for swatches?

First up, is Bark the Sun Up. I layered one coat over Zoya Arizona. There is a slight pink-ish shimmer in here that is super pretty!

Preppy Puppy is one of my faves (surprise, surprise) for the pink color as well as the shimmer. I layered one coat over Zoya Lara.

Moondoggie is my other fave! I love how sparkly this is. One coat over Zoya Robyn. I feel like my pics don't do it justice!

Which polishes are catching your eye?

You can find the Tawdry Terrier shop on Etsy *here* and stay updated on their Facebook page *here*. There are some previews of their upcoming fall collection to check out, too!

I have a mani to show you today that I was so happy with the end result. It's pretty simple and easy to accomplish but is definitely not boring!

After reading a recent post from Glitter and Unicorns featuring China Glaze Too Yacht to Handle, I knew I needed to give it a chance from being trapped in my untried pile. I was drawn to the color enough to buy it despite bad reviews on the formula but I was very pleasantly surprised at how easily it applied!

I topped off TYTH with a coat of Sephora by OPI Wild About Shimmer. I got mine in the current 3 for $10 sale at Sephora. LOVE this shimmer...it doesn't mess with the base color which is awesome. And finally, I used some nail glue to attach these adorable gold heart studs to the base of my nail. So girly and cute...right up my alley!

Attached with nail glue and topped with 2 coats of topcoat, I have only lost one stud in 3 days!

I got these cute heart studs as part of a set from Born Pretty Store...they came with a variety of shapes and sizes in silver and gold. You can find them *here*. Get an extra 10% off with my code: AMG10!

I saw a set from Orly at TJ Maxx recently that intrigued me. It came with everything for the perfect french mani with a twist and included mini bottles of Top 2 Bottom, Black Vinyl, and Space Cadet along with some awesome nail guides to help you create some different looks like a traditional french, a half moon mani, and a chevron french. There was even a little pamphlet on how to create all the looks...super easy!

This was on sale for $10 at TJ Maxx and I actually found mine in a blog sale for $5, but for what you get $10 still isn't bad!

I went for the chevron french mani look. The stickers were sturdy and easy to use; I wish I could buy them separately so I could have a bunch on hand! I did 2 coats of Space Cadet on the tips...such a pretty duochrome effect over black.

Have you guys seen this set floating around your TJ Maxx stores? I have seen them at a few other discount stores like Marshalls as well.

8.20.2013

I am back tonight with some bits and pieces of info that is more housekeeping related...but I want to keep you all informed!

Have you heard of NailPolishNews.net? This site is an automatic feed of a handful of nail bloggers posts that you can subscribe to by email. A fun, different way to get your nail polish fix! I just recently joined the feed, so it's also another way to follow my blog. I would love for you to visit the page and tell me your thoughts!

I have had an Instagram account for a while now but haven't been very active there. I decided to change that and have started posting nail photos there from my blog posts! If you want to follow me, here is where you can find my profile: http://instagram.com/mynailgraffiti. I hope to have an icon on my sidebar for easy access to that in the near future!

It seems like fall is just around the corner with school starting back up and seeing Halloween decorations pop up in stores. In reality, where I live, it won't really be cooling down until October/November! Until then, this mani will be as close as I get to the fall season for a while. ;)

My base is Mai Tai from Nailtini, which I got in my Ipsy Glam bag for July. I then used red, orange, and champagne "glequins" from Born Pretty Store to frame my nails. I used my new favorite tool, the rhinestone grabber, to pick up the individual glitter and that was a lifesaver! My accent nail is Zoya Penny with a couple coats of Jordana Bronze Fest layered. If this mani doesn't scream fall, I don't know what does!

How about you? Ready for the fall season yet?

The products from Born Pretty can be found in my links above. To save even more, use code AMG10 to get another 10% off your order!

8.19.2013

Are you all ready for a new week? I am optimistic that mine's gonna be good...let's hope so! ;)

For today's mani, I started with a base of Teal Dimension from the LA Girl 3D Effect line. I have said it before and I'll say it again...LOVE these polishes! Just look at the gorgeous teal color and the depth it has...super gorgeous.

A polish that pretty doesn't need to be messed with a whole lot! So I added some simple nail stickers from Born Pretty Store. These came on a large sticker sheet and can be trimmed to fit the nail however you want them to look. They weren't as sticky as I would have liked but as long as I pressed down hard and applied top coat immediately after they stayed put pretty well.

I like the metal look these have!

These stickers come in silver and gold and there are a variety of patterns to choose from. Find them on the Born Pretty site *here*! AMG10, my coupon code, gets you 10% off too!Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already! There is a bottle from Bootie Babe up for grabs....you have one more day!

A couple of days ago I got my Glam Bag from Ipsy. Always an exciting thing to see that metallic pink envelope in the mail! This month's theme was Glamour Academy, which I interpreted as back to school or "back to basics" since all of the items in the bag are items I would use almost daily. Let's take a look at what's inside!

First up, is a shimmer powder from Mica Beauty Cosmetics in Bronze. I had never heard of this brand before. Just from swatching the shimmer powder on my hand, it seems like it's pretty pigmented and easy to blend. I like the neutral bronze color a lot and it's not too boring with it's metallic finish. I plan to use mine as an eyeshadow but I think it would also work well with a bit on the cheeks to add some shimmer as well.

Next, is an eyebrow pencil from Chella in Dazzling Dark Brown. I had gotten their Ivory Lace highlighting pencil in a previous Glam Bag and have since incorporated it into my daily makeup routine (love!). I am pretty attached to my ELF Studio Eyebrow kit which is a wax/powder combo, so I was nervous about using a pencil. It's a tad too dark for my brows but I think I need to use a lighter hand next time.

The next item in my bag was Lash Booster Mascara from Pixie. This is a cute little mini tube. I tried this on my lashes alone and wasn't too impressed. It lengthened and separated but didn't give me any volume which is a must for me. Next, I tried layering it over my ELF Mascara Primer and was much more happy with the result. Not something I can see myself buying full size but it won't go unused either.

Next up is a mini lipstick from Urban Decay's new line of lipsticks. The shade I got is called Anarchy and it's a bright pink with a tad bit of magenta. I wore this yesterday and was definitely impressed! For one, it's SUPER pigmented. I only needed one swipe and I was good to go. The formula is very moisturizing which I appreciate in a lipstick and it lasted on me pretty well all day with only a couple touchups needed.

And the final item in my bag was a Jojoba Charcoal scrub from Michael Todd. This tube is 1 oz and will probably last me a while. This is my first exposure to this brand. I exfoliate a few times a week so I will definitely be getting good use out of this. I haven't used a scrub with charcoal in it before so I am interested to see how it compares to the apricot scrub I usually use.

So that's my August Glam bag! So far, I haven't felt like it hasn't been worth my $10 each month. It's too much fun to see what will come each month and get to try new products on the cheap!

If you want to subscribe to an Ipsy Glam bag you can use my link to get you started *here*.